Brussels Belgium - Best Things to See and Do
Explore French and Flemish Culture and Home of European Parliament
Nov 16, 2009
Brussels has a long and complicated history; it began as a small Roman settlement in the 7th Century but it wasn’t until 977 that it really began to look like a city and by the 12th Century it had some 5000 residents. By this time it had become the major manufacturer of luxurious fabrics, especially for export. New walls were erected around the city and they survived until the 19th century when they were replaced by a ring road round the city to protect against enemy invasion.
Brussels was was fought over and conquered by a number of European countries and for centuries foreign rulers occupied the city. In 1815 Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo and after the Vienna Treaty Brussels came under the dominion of The Netherlands.
The last foreign ruler was the Dutch emperor William I who departed in 1830 when the struggle for independence exploded in Brussels. In the following year, 1831, Leopold I, ascended the throne. He became the first Belgian king and Brussels became the capital of the new kingdom of Belgium.
Brussels - European Parliament
Strasbourg in France is the official seat of the European Parliament. However, the major part of the Parliament’s work takes place at the Brussels site as most of the European Union institutions are based in Brussels. The impressive steel and glass European Parliament building was opened by King Albert II in 1998. Its nickname is ‘Caprice des Dieux' (Whim of the Gods) after a French cheese. There are free tours of the building, with multilingual headphones available and it is also possible to sit in on a parliamentary session in the huge debating chamber.
There are free tours of the building, with multilingual headphones available. They start at the European Parliament Visitor's Centre, attached to the Paul-Henri Spaak section of the parliament.
The easiest way to get to the European Parliament from central Brussels is with bus 38 (direction Homborch; departs from next to Gare Centrale) to the stop De Meeus on Rue du Luxembourg.
Brussels - Sightseeing
- Grand Place. The Grand Place, also called Grote Mart, is often described as the most beautiful market square in Europe. It dates from the 12th century and by the early 15th century Brussels was booming, mainly because of its successful cloth trade and a prosperous market that covered the Grand Place as well as the nearby streets. However, in the late 17th century much of the city centre was attacked by the French and thousands of buildings were destroyed. Those that exist today were built in the 17th century. It’s a fabulous introduction to Brussels. Treat yourself to a Belgian waffle with caramelized sugar as you explore this beautiful and historic part of the city.
- Rue des Bouchers. Situated in a small lively part of Brussels known as Ilôt Sacré this cobbled pedestrianised street is lined with seafood restaurants, each one with intricate displays of all sorts of seafood. It’s a popular place with tourists but probably not the best place to dine, especially since Brussels is noted for its fine cuisine. However, it is an interesting, colourful place with great photo opportunities. If you decide to eat here, Chez Léon is considered one of the best.
- Manneken Pis. Sometimes referred to as ‘The Little Boy of Brussels’, this small fountain shows a naked boy peeing into the water. Some say it represents the "irreverent spirit" of brussels. The small bronze statue was sculpted by Jerôme Duquesnoy in 1619, but a stone version - named Little Julian - stood here from the mid-14th century. The meaning of the sculpture is lost in the past and the little boy has become a national symbol.
- New Magritte Museum. A fairly new addition to the Brussels art scene is the Magritte Museum. It opened in 1999 and contains more than 200 of the artist’s works. Like Magritte’s strangely compelling art, the museum itself is strange, when compared with the architecture we usually expect of museums. The collection is housed in a suburban yellow-brick house where Magritte and his wife Georgette lived from 1930 to 1954. Apart from the numerous paintings, There are hundreds of original items - from Magritte's passport to photos, furniture and his famous pipe.
- Galeries Saint Hubert. An historic and elegant place to shop. It opened in 1847 and was one of the world’s first shopping malls. (If only they looked like this today!) It’s roof of glass and metal was the first of its kind to be built in Belgium. There are three galleries of stylish small shops and some beautiful cafes, luxury boutiques and, of course, lots of lovely Belgian chocolate.
Brussels - Getting Around
Brussels is a bi-lingual city with both French and Dutch as its official languages. Consequently, all streets have names in both languages. French and Engish sound completely different and sometimes this can be a little confusing, but many people understand English and it’s not really a problem.
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